Gun-pointing attachment.



- PATENTED AUG. 1a 1908.

M. H. GARDNER. GUN POINTING ATTAGHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED 00115, 1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT ornron.

MURRAY H. GARDNER, OF BREWSTER, NEW YORK.

GUN-POINTING ATTACHMENT.

Application filed October 15, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MURRAY H. GARDNER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Brewster, in the county of Putnam and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Gun-Pointing Attachment, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device adapted for attachment to fire-arms of various kinds, more especially to shot guns or hunting rifles, and has for its object to facilitate quick and accurate pointing of the weapon without being obliged to adjust the gun-stock to the shoulderfor aiming at birds just rising from the bush or in flight, or at other game.

The invention is based largely upon the fact that the conscious or sub-conscious faculties intuitively enable men to point the index finger directly and accurately at any visible object without bringing the outstretched finger into alinement with or between the eye and the object.

The invent-ion comprises certain details of construction of the gun-pointing attachment whereby it may be quickly and easily applied to any ordinary shot-gun or hunting rifle and the finger rests then may be primarily adjusted longitudinally, vertically and laterally to accommodate peculiarities of form and size of the index finger of the huntsmans hand. He thus will be able to easily and quickly pull the gun trigger or triggers by the second or third fingers while the index finger is outstretched alongside the gun lock or stock, and is intuitively pointed toward the game, whereby firing may be effected quickly and accurately and without the delays incident to bringing the gun-stock to the shoulder. Vhen once thus primarily adjusted to the gun or rifle and to the huntsmans hand, the entire device may almost instantly be removed from the gun and may as easily be reapplied thereto and then will have precisely similar adjustments which thus are made but once, while the attachment may be applied to or removed from the gun as often as may be desired and thus may be used or not used at the will or convenience of the huntsman.

The invention will first be described and then will be particularly defined in claims hereinafter set forth.

Reference is made to the accompanying Specification of Letters Patent.

' threaded into the clamp jaw 8.

Patented. Aug. 18, 1908.

Serial No. 397,528.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of part of a huntsmans figure illustrating the normal carriage position of a shot-gun to which the pointing attachment is applied. Fig. 2- is an enlarged top perspective View of the attachment removed from the gun. Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinal section through the finger rest clamp. Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation to larger scale than Fig. 1, while illustrating similar relative positions of the pointing attachment and the huntsmans hand. Fig. 5 is a detail transverse sectional view of the attachment and the lower portion of the gun lock; and Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view showilpg the applied attachment as projected from The invention is illustrated as applied to a hammerless double-barreled shot-gun having a lock 1, a stock 2, barrels 3-, 3, triggers 4, 5, and a trigger guard 6.

I The pointing attachment includes a transversely ranging clamp having opposing gripping aws 7, 8, each preferably provided with means adapted to register uniformly and accurately with certain parts of the gun, such as one or more, preferably two, points or teeth 9 adapted to enter recesses '10 made at opposite sides of the gun lock 1. The clamp jaw 7 is shown loosely fitted upon a screw 1 1 having an outer wing-head 12 for turning it. A collar 13 is pinned or otherwise fastened to the screw and by coacting with the screw head 12, prevents endwise movement of the revoluble screw in the hub of the jaw 7. The other threaded end of the screw is fitted to internal threads of the hub 14 of the clamp jaw 8, whereby the opposed'clamp-j aw teeth 9 may be caused to tightly grip opposite sides of the gun lock 1 within its recesses 10 to'securely hold the clamp to the gun in one certain position while permitting quick and easy application of the attachment to guns of varying width or thickness at the lock or stock, and as will be understood by, referring to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings.

In the outer end of the clamp jaw 8 there is formed a slot 15 which by preference is longitudinally curved and receives a correspondingly curved part 16 of a longitudinal finger rest bar 17. With this construction the bar 17 may be turned more or less in the curved slot 15, whereby the bar may be tilted up or down at either end and may then be fastened by any suitable devices such as screws 18 The slot 15 has ample lateral width to permit the finger fasten the rest bar 17 to the clamp. When gers 4, 5.

rest bar 17 to also be bodily adjusted later ally in the slot.

At its rear end the bar 17 has a laterally curved or forked finger-rest or support 19 which is tilted inward laterally and thus receives and braces or supports the lower and outer parts of the base of the huntsmans in dex or forefinger while not preventing his firm grasp by this finger base and the hand upon the outside of the gun lock or stock when carrying or firing the weapon. At its forward end the rest bar 17 carries another curved or forked rest or support 20 for the end of the index finger at or near the outer finger joint. This rest 20 may have substantially horizontal position laterally as shown in the drawings. One of the two finger rests or supports is made longitudinally adjust able relatively to the other to accommodate forefingers of varying length. It is now pre ferred to make the front finger rest 20 thus adjustable and to do this by fitting its lower threaded stem portion 2]. in a longitudinal slot 22 of the rest bar 17 and applying awing or other nut 23 to the stem for clamping said rest 20 to the bar at any required adjustment to accommodate the length of the huntsman s index finger 24.

In adjusting the attachment to a gun it only is necessary to bore at o posite sides of the gun lock or stock the shal ow recesses 10 which does not harm the gun or mar its appearance. The screw-coupled clamp jaws then are applied and when the jaw teeth 9 are entered into the lock recesses 10, the screw 11 is turned to securely but removably fasten the clamp to the gun lock and with the clamp underlying the lock as closely as may be to the trigger guard 6. The finger rest bar 17 now is passed laterally at its curved portion 16 within the curved clamp slot 15, and the huntsman then will rest his outstretched forefinger easily and naturally upon or within the rests 19, 20, and after making suitable tests the front rest 20 will be adjusted toward or away from the rear fixed rest 19 to suit the length of the finger. The nut 23 will now be tightened to retain both rests 19, 20 at proper relative longitudinal adjustment. The bar 17 now will be tilted vertically by rocking its curved portion 16 in the clamp slot '15, and may also be adjusted laterally in said slot, to accommodate peculiarities of form or thickness of the forefinger 24, while allowing said finger to range as nearly as ossible in line with the gun barrels 3, whi e the next finger or fingers are properly adjusted to the gun trigger or trig- The screws 18 now will be tightened to securely and permanently these adjustments have once been made the entire pointing attachment, including the mutually fastened clamp and finger rest devices, may be almost instantly removed from 1 the gun by simply turning back the screw 11 and disengaging the clamp teeth 9 from the gun lock recesses 10, and without disturbing the connections of the rest bar 17 with the clamp jaw 8. The pointing attachment may be almost instantly reattached to the gun at any time by simply fitting the clamp teeth 9 into the gun lock recesses 10 and then tightening the clamp jaws by turning the screw 11, whereupon. the device is ready for use as all necessary adjustments of the finger rests or supports are already made and need not be altered to accommodate one huntsman using the gun so long as the size and shape of his hand or fingers remains practically unchanged. Should the clamp jaws 7, 8 be made without teeth 9, the clamp may be adjusted to the gun lock and then be tightened by the screw 11 prior to each successive use of the attachment, but under varying conditions this might also require readjustment of the finger rests relatively to the clamp, or of the clamp relatively to the gun lock or stock and the triggers, hence it is preferred to provide the clamp jaws and the gun lock with matching teeth and recesses 9, 10, or equivalent parts, to thereby avoid all adjustments in operatively reapplying the pointing attachment to the gun except the mere tightening of the clamp on the gun lock by turning the screw 11, as above described.

When the gun is held. in the usual nonfiring-position indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and with the huntsmans index finger 24 resting-in the supports 19, 20, it is obvious that the weapon may be almost instantly fired in any direction at birds rising from the bush or in flight by quickly swinging the body around as may be necessary and pointing the gun at the bird or game inv accordance with the naturally or intuitively correct ranging of the index finger 24, and without the necessity of losing valuable time by attempting to raise the gun stock to the shoulder and aim in the usual way by bringing the eye and gun sights into line with the bird or game. Correct shooting thus may be done at critical moments and birds or game will be taken which would have escaped under usual conditions of aiming and shooting from the shoulder. By simply turning the attachment end-for-end laterally or reversing the positions of the clamp jaws, the attachment may, without change of form of any of its parts, be applied to guns which are usually aimed or shot from the left shoulder.

Various modifications other than hereinabove mentioned may be made in details of construction within the scope of one or more of the appended claims and without departing from the true spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention 1. A gun-pointing attachment comprising Ill-5 a lon itudinal index finger rest adapted to under ie and positively sustain the finger, and coacting means adapted to clamp said rest to a gun; the connections between the finger rest and clamping means permitting vertical adjustment of said rest, substantially as described.

2. A gun-pointing attachment comprising a longitudinal index finger rest or support, and coacting means adapted to clamp said rest to a gun; the connections between the finger rest and clamping means permitting lateral adjustment of said rest, substantially as described.

3. A gun-pointing attachment comprising a longitudinal index finger rest or support, and coacting means adapted to clamp said rest to a gun; the connections between the finger rest and clamping means permitting both vertical and lateral adjustments of said rest, substantially as described.

4. A gun-pointing attachment comprising a longitudinal bar having independent rests or supports for the base and end of the index finger, said rests being longitudinally adjustable relatively to each other, and means adapted to clamp said bar to a gun, substantially as described.

5. A gun-pointing attachment comprising a longitudinal bar having independent rests or supports for the base and end of the index finger, said rests being longitudinally adjustable relatively to each other, and means adapted to clamp said bar to a gun; the connections of the finger rest bar and clamping means permitting vertical adjustment of said bar and finger rests, substantially as described.

6. A gun-pointing attachment comprising a longitudinal bar having independent rests or supports for the base and end of the index finger, said rests being longitudinally adjustable relatively to each other, and means adapted to clamp said bar to a gun; the connections of the finger rest bar and clamping means permitting both vertical and lateral adjustments of said bar and finger rests,

I substantially as described.

7. A gun-pointing attachment comprising a longitudinal bar having a rest or support for the base of the index finger sustaining the lower outer finger surfaces while permitting the finger base and hand to firmly grasp the gun, substantially as described.

8. A gun-pointing attachment'comprising a longitudinal bar havin a rest or support for the base of the index ger sustaining the lower outer finger surfaces while permitting the finger base and hand to firmly grasp the gun, and means adapted to clamp the longitudinal bar detachably to a gun, substantially as described.

9. A gun-pointing attachment comprising a longitudinal bar having a stationary rest or support for the base of the index finger ar ranged to sustain the lower outer finger surfaces while permitting the finger base and hand to firmly grasp the gun, and a finger end rest or support longitudinally adjustable on the bar relatively to said fixed finger base rest, substantially as described.

10. A gun-pointing attachment comprising a longitudinal bar having a stationary rest or support for the base of the index finger arranged to sustain the lower outer finger surfaces while permitting the finger base and hand to firmly grasp the gun, a finger end rest or support longitudinally adjustable on I the bar relatively to said fixed finger base rest, and means adapted to clamp the longitudinal bar detachably to a gun, substantially as described.

11. A gun-pointing attachment comprising a longitudinal bar having a curved coup -ling portion, a longitudinal sup ort on said bar for the index finger, and a c amping de vice adapted to secure the bar to a gun and having a correspondingly curved portion at which the curved art of the bar is adjustable to tilt the bar and thereby vertically adjust the finger support, substantially as described.

12. A gun-pointing attachment comprising a longitudinal bar having a curved coupling portion, a longitudinal sup ort on said bar for the index finger, and a c amping device adapted to secure the bar to a'gun and having a correspondingly curved portion at which the curved art of'the bar is adjustable to tilt the bar an thereby vertically adjust the finger sup ort, said bar being also laterally adjustab e at the curved part of the clamp, substantially as described.

13. A gun-pointing attachment comprising a longitudinal bar having a curved coupling portion, two index finger supports on said bar, one support beinglongitudinally adjustable relatively to the other, and a clamping device adapted to secure said bar to a gun and having a correspondingly curved portion at which the curved part of the bar is adjustable to tilt the bar and thereby vertically adjust said finger supports, substantially as described.

14. A gun-pointing attachment comprising a longitudinal bar having a curved coupling portion, two index finger supports on said bar, one support being longitudinally adjustable relatively to the other, and a clamping device adapted to secure said bar to a gun and having a correspondingly curved portion at which the curved art of the bar is adjustable to tilt the bar an thereby vertically adjust said finger supports, said longitudinal bar being also laterally adjustable at said curved part of the clamp, substantially as described.

15. A gun-pointing attachment comprising a longitudinally ranging index finger rest, and means adapted to clamp said rest to a gun, the connections of the finger rest and clamp permitting vertical or lateral adjustments of the finger rest; said clamp having means adapted to register uniformly with certain parts of the gun lock or stock, thereby permitting correct operative reapplication of the attachment to the gun without requiring readjustments of the finger rest, substantially as described.

16. A gun-pointing attachment comprising a longitudinally ranging index finger rest, and means adapted to clamp said rest to a gun, the connections of the finger rest and clamp permitting vertical or lateral adjustnients of the finger rest; said clamp having teeth or projections ada ted to register uniformly with recesses in t e gun lock or stock and thereby permit correct operative reapplication of the attachment to the gun without requiring readjustments of the finger rest, substantially as described.

17. A gun-pointing attachment comprising a clamping device including opposing jaws 7, 8 fitted to a screw 11 and adapted for gri ping the gun lock or stock, a longitudi- Ila ly ranging bar 17 having a curved part 16 fitting a curved slot 15 of the clamp jaw 8,

and front and rear finger rests held to the bar 17 substantially as described.

18. A gun-pointing attachment comprising a clam ing device including opposing jaws 7, 8, 'tted to a screw 11 and having teeth 9 adapted to register with recesses in a gun lock or stock to which the clamp is secured, a longitudinally ranging bar 17 having a curved part 16 fitting a curved slot 15 of the clamp jaw 8, and front and rear finger rests held to the bar 17, substantially as described.

19. A gun-pointing attachment comprising a clamping device including opposing jaws 7, 8, fitted to a screw 11 and adapted for gripping the gun lock or stock, a longitudinally ranging bar 17 having a curved part 16 fitting a curved slot 15 of the clamp aw 8, and front and rear finger rests 19, 20, held to the bar 17, the rest 20 being adjustable on the bar, substantially as described.

MURRAY H. GARDNER.

Witnesses:

JENNIE A. GARDNER, KENNETH R. GARDNER. 

